The GAYA Study - Exploring the Genetic Architecture of Youth Anxiety

Anxiety is the most common mental health problem among youth. About 11% of youth in Canada suffer annually from an anxiety disorder and even more so during the recent pandemic. Youth with anxiety disorders do worse at school, have poorer health outcomes, and are more likely to die by suicide. Genetic factors play an important role in the development of anxiety disorders. Recent studies successfully identified the first genetic risk variants for anxiety disorders in adults. However, research on genetic factors among youth is more limited. This has to be considered problematic as genetic risk variants for anxiety might not be same for youth as for adults. To better understand the development of anxiety disorders among youth we need to include larger samples of youth in current genetic research. We therefore aim to conduct the "Genetic Architecture of Youth Anxiety (GAYA)" study. The GAYA study will include 6,500 youth patients and 6,500 youth from the general population. As youth spent a lot of time online, we will advertise the GAYA study strongly on social media, but also recruit youth through clinics and other public outlets. During the study youth will be asked to provide a DNA sample and information about symptoms of anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders. Youth will also play online games that will test how well they can control their impulses or avoid risks. Youth who show high levels of anxiety but are currently not in treatment will be offered an online intervention. In our analyses, we aim to identify novel genetic risk variants for anxiety disorders in youth and assess how much of the genetic risk for anxiety is shared between youth and adults. We will also explore whether youth with a higher genetic risk respond worse to treatment and will need additional support. A better understanding of the genetic risk factors for anxiety disorders could potentially lead to early detection, better treatments and improved outcomes for Canadian youth.